Which Dragon founded the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain before joining the Dragons' Den panel?

Simon Woodroffe founded the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain before joining the Dragons' Den panel.

Woodroffe launched Yo! Sushi in London in 1997, introducing a conveyor-belt restaurant concept inspired by Japanese dining. Plates moved past diners, allowing customers to choose dishes directly and helping make the brand visually distinctive.

He later became one of the original investors on the British Dragons' Den panel when the BBC adaptation began. His background made him especially associated with branding, customer experience and the practical design of consumer businesses.

Yo! Sushi is sometimes mistakenly attributed to a Japanese founder because of its cuisine and name. It was actually created in the United Kingdom by Woodroffe, although its concept drew on Japanese restaurant traditions. The restaurant business and the television programme are separate parts of his career: Yo! Sushi established his entrepreneurial reputation before his appearance as a Dragon.